The electronic commerce (E-commerce) industry has grown significantly in recent years, as many consumers have recognized the Internet as a preferred source of making commercial purchases due to the convenience of having orders delivered directly to a home or place of business. Currently, the majority of deliveries are conducted manually by delivery personnel going door-to-door. However, the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has great potential as an expedient and energy efficient vehicle for delivering goods to the consumer. For example, after processing an order for a product, a UAV may be loaded with the product as cargo and it may fly to a delivery location, such as a consumer's home or office.
Traditionally, UAVs are provided guidance on how to maneuver in a delivery environment. For example, many UAVs are guided, via a signal from a remote operator, on an approach to a specific spot for landing. For UAVs carrying cargo, delivery guidance may be necessary for obstacle avoidance and the successful delivery of the cargo.